Biologists confirm Oregon's first wolf pack in decades

Wildlife biologists in northeast Oregon have confirmed the presence of Oregon's first reproducing pack of wild wolves since the predators were exterminated from the state decades ago.

State biologist Russ Morgan told The Oregonian Monday that he and another biologist counted the howls of at least two adult wolves and two pups in northern Union County, north of La Grande, very early Friday morning.

The biologists did not see the wolves, but could tell from the howls that there were both adults and pups.

"We could clearly hear a couple of pups at the same time," he said. "There very well may have been more."

Biologists had noticed scattered sign of wolves, including tracks and scat, in the same area since November, Morgan said. Single wolves have been spotted several times in northeast Oregon, but biologists hadn't seen any evidence of reproduction.

The pups were most likely born in early to mid-April and are now out of their ten and traveling with the adults.

"We've been chasing around single wolves, but this is pretty important because it's the first breeding," said Morgan, who is based in La Grande as the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's wolf coordinator.

The wolves most likely spread into Oregon from Idaho, where the federal government reintroduced wolves in 1995 as part of a regional plan to restore the species.

The area where biologists reported the wolf pack in Oregon is on the edge of the Wenaha Tuccanon Wilderness, part of the Umatilla National Forest. It is rugged and remote, with plenty of potential prey for the wolves, Morgan said.

"Time is going to tell us whether they can make a living there," he said. "Right now, there is no reason to think they can't."